Junior tennis players try grass

by Ed Mahon

Tennis players from all over the country gained invaluable experience playing on the grass courts at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill last week. For many of the participants in this year's U.S. Junior International Grass Court Championships, last week was the first time they played on grass.

The seventh-seeded Alexa Glatch, who won the girls' singles, the girls' doubles with third-seeded Lindsay Burdette, and the sportsmanship award, said adjusting to the grass was her most difficult challenge in the tournament.

The 14-year-old Glatch, from California, said, "This was my first time ever playing on grass, but after I got used to it I liked it and played a very good tournament."

Glatch's coach, Katie Schlukebir, agreed with the importance of playing on grass. A 1991 singles and doubles winner at this tournament, Schlukebir went on to play college and professional tennis. She said playing on the Cricket Club's grass courts "helped me so much at Wimbledon."

"It's good for Alexa to play here. The more she plays on grass, the better it'll be for her later on in life. Playing on each surface adds elements to your game."

But Glatch isn't just an outstanding player. For her "humble and respectful demeanor," she was awarded the USLTA Girls Sportsmanship Trophy, the first national junior sportsmanship award. The award, donated by Mrs. H. Harris Smith, "is given to the player who, in the opinion of the committee of Judges, most nearly approaches the tennis ideals of Sportsmanship, Appearance, Court Manners, and Tactics," according to the tournament's booklet.

Glatch will be the last to win this award, since it was retired on Saturday to the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

In the boys' final, the third-seeded Marcus Fugate played an extremely close match with No. 7, Jessie Levine. Fugate won 6-4, 7-5. The two gave such outstanding efforts that at different times, both slid underneath the net lunging for a ball. Fugate also won the boys' sportsmanship award.

Fugate, from New York, said he was headed to Europe to compete in more tournaments.

In the boys' doubles final, second-seeded Christopher Chirico and Johhny Hamui lost to No. 4 Marek Czerwinski and Maciek Sykut on Friday. Czerwinski and Sykut won 7-6 (5) and 6-1. Chicio had been on the winning doubles' team last year.

Marth Gregg, a certified Inter Tennis Federation (ITF) official, said top-seeded players often seek out each other for doubles' partners, but Czerwinski and Sykut said their partnership was accidental.

Said Czwerinski: "I thought I was going to partner up with someone else, but the day of the tournament I found out he had another partner. Since neither Maciek nor I had a partner, we teamed up."

For both of the two 17-year-olds, it will be the last time they compete at the Juniors tournament at the Cricket Club since the age range is 13-18. It was also both of their first times on grass, and they both agreed competing at the Cricket Club gave them good experience. Despite the chemistry the two shared, one thing they couldn't agree on was who was their favorite tennis player. Czerwinski favors Pete Sampras and Sykut is an Andre Agassi fan, the player who many consider the opposite of Sampras.

Overall, the tournament, which attracts players from all over the world was very successful.

Gregg said she loved working with kids. "They're basically overachievers. If you talk to them you find out most are getting straight A's, despite all the traveling they do."

Ian Crookenden, the tournament director of PCC Tennis, said he was very happy the players were able to gain experience on grass. Unlike last year, none of the matches had to take place indoors. Crookenden also said the tournament contributes to the community because, since admission is free and not limited to Cricket Club members, all people have the opportunity to witness some rising stars in the world of tennis compete.